The Zoo is
CLOSED
for the winter season.
Visit us when we
reopen in April 2010.

Bat-eared Fox

Scientific Name:	Otocyon megalotis
Range:	Eastern and southern Africa
Habitat:	Savannas, brush, and grasslands
Natural Diet:	Primarily insects; also scorpions, spiders, rodents, and lizards
Zoo Diet:	Carnivore diet, dog food, mice, mealworms, and crickets
Physical Characteristics:	Bat-eared foxes have yellow-brown to gray fur, lighter on the belly, and darker around the eyes, muzzle, backs of the ears, feet, and tail tip. Their large ears, over five inches long, help them hear insects moving underground. The large ears also help keep the fox cool. Bat-eared foxes are 18 to 26 inches long and 12 to 16 inches tall. They weigh 7 to 12 pounds.
Behavior:	Most bat-eared foxes are nocturnal. They spend their days in their dens, away from the hot sun. Their dens are usually found near large animals like zebras and wildebeests because that is where a lot of insects, such as dung beetles, can be found. Bat-eared foxes may excavate their den themselves or use dens left behind by other animals. They usually live in groups of two to five. Each group usually has one adult male and one or two adult females.
Reproduction:	Females give birth to two to six babies called kits. The mother nurses the kits for 15 weeks. Young are fully grown by about six months.